Blackened and Bruised
by FlamesOfAPhoenix
Summary: Bellatrix, Andromeda and Narcissa explore the importance of family. But is it as simple as it seems? Three one-shots.
1. Bellatrix

__**Disclaimer: I'm not J.K. Rowling and these are not my characters. I am just borrowing them.  
**

**This was written for Louise Foxhall's "Three Sisters Black Competition". I hope you enjoy!  
**

_Family_.

Winding a dark curl around her finger, Bellatrix gazed into the flames. With cool deliberation, she considered the word. She knew the importance of family. Blood, as they say, was thicker than water. At this, Bellatrix allowed a self-satisfied smirk to cross her aristocratic features. She felt an unparalleled pride in her lineage; the purity of her blood had assured a comfortable place in wizarding society. More importantly, though, her Black heritage had given her the opportunity to serve the Dark Lord. At the thought of _him_, a thrill ran down her spine.

Unconsciously, Bellatrix stroked her left forearm. Beneath her robes, the Dark Mark was etched upon her skin, a symbol of her pureblood status and the favour of her beloved Master.

Her love for him was unquestionable.

Her feelings about her husband, however, were far more ambiguous. She did not love him, her affections for her Master were too strong for that, but she appreciated his pureblood status. Truthfully, that was all that mattered.

Despite her marriage, Bellatrix considered herself – first and foremost – a Black. Rodolphus' bloodline had been acceptable, but there were few families that rivalled the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black. She took pride in her roots; they afforded her a sense of superiority. She thought of those filthy mudbloods that crossed her path and her fingers twitched. The urge to hex them, to curse those who had the audacity to question her views, was ever present. How could they compare themselves to a Black?

Yes, Bellatrix understood the importance of family.

She considered, with some approval, her younger sister. Narcissa, blonde and delicate, had made a suitable match with Lucius Malfoy. He lacked devotion, but one could not question his blood. Bellatrix was an affectionless creature, but she held a soft spot for her sister. She was proud that Cissy had respected her heritage.

It was obvious that Narcissa understood the value of family.

Unlike _some_.

With rising anger she thought of the traitor. Once her sister, Andromeda had lost that title. Eloping with the muggleborn had, quite understandably, necessitated an estrangement. The twitch in her fingers grew stronger. Her fury at Andromeda's choice still blazed brightly, hotter than the fire in the hearth.

Clearly, Andromeda had no concept of family.

If she'd had any, she would never have abandoned them for the mudblood. The idea that Andromeda Black had taken the name of that man was repugnant, especially one as ludicrous as _Tonks_. She remembered, with dreadful clarity, the day that Andromeda had left them. Head held high, she had strode into the dining room and said – bold as brass – that she was engaged. For a few glorious moments Bellatrix had felt nothing but sisterly pride, certain that Andromeda had bowed to their parents' wishes. Yaxley had been sniffing around for a wife and her parents had, in no uncertain terms, informed Andromeda that he was the man of their choice. She hadn't expected what came next.

Indeed, she could remember it as though it were yesterday.

"_I'm marrying Ted Tonks, father," Andromeda had said, tossing her mane of chocolate curls. _

"_A pureblood, I assume," he had replied, irritated. He had been annoyed at her rejection of Yaxley, but not unduly so. Even he could see Yaxley's flaws. _

"_No."_

"_No?" Their father's tone had been dangerous. "A half-blood?" He had been furious with her, dreading the shame that would come with a polluted grandchild, even if it was three quarters pure. _

"_A muggleborn, actually," Andromeda had replied, a cool note evident in her voice. His reaction had been terrifying. With a violent gesture he had drawn his wand, slashing at the air. Cowering, Bellatrix and Narcissa had watched Andromeda's retaliatory spell. A large shield had erupted, glimmering in the shadowy room._

"_If you wish to apologise," her sister had said, trembling with rage, "I will be with Ted – the man I love." With that, Andromeda had left the room. In fact, she had left their lives._

And their family.

Years later, Bellatrix was still seething with rage. Scowling, she hurled her glass into the fire. With limited satisfaction, she watched it shatter into tiny slivers. The fragments reflected the flickering flames, little shafts of light dancing through the darkened room. She hissed. After all this time, the pain of Andromeda's betrayal still stung. Cold as her heart may have been, Bellatrix's hurt stemmed from more than bruised familial pride. Despite her protestations, the elder Black had held a soft spot for Andromeda too.

In her own way, she had loved her sister.

But Andromeda's casual dismissal of their family, of all they stood for, was the worst kind of crime. Bellatrix wished to understand. How could Ted Tonks compete with the might of the Blacks? He couldn't; that much was obvious. Bellatrix had pondered this puzzle for many years, but the answer was elusive. The reason for Andromeda's foolishness was beyond her grasp; however, Bellatrix still sought it.

One thing was clear; Andromeda did not understand the importance of family. If she had, she would never have left.

And Bellatrix's heart would still be whole.


	2. Andromeda

**Disclaimer: I'm not J.K. Rowling and these are not my characters. I am just borrowing them.  
**

**This was written for Louise Foxhall's "Three Sisters Black Competition". I hope you enjoy!**

_Family_.

Exhausted from her exertions, Andromeda collapsed into her chair. Caring for any child, especially a hyperactive Metamorphmagus, was bound to be hard work. She had been on her feet all day, busy with the daily toils associated with motherhood. But she wouldn't trade her family for anything. The word had been on her mind all day, floating through her thoughts and impeding her concentration. She loved her new family – with every fibre of her being – but that didn't mean that her estrangement from her sisters didn't hurt.

Even if they were pureblood supremacists and murderers.

In many respects, she was glad to be rid of her Black name. Ted Tonks had been a breath of fresh air at Hogwarts and the thrill of seeing him without her parents' permission had only added to the excitement. He was kind and generous, refusing to judge her for her Black heritage. Most importantly, he loved her with a passionate intensity. Andromeda had never experienced unconditional love and Ted's open affection had, originally, disconcerted her. However, her love for him had banished any doubts. Even now, decades later, they were still deeply and irrevocably in love.

Andromeda was blessed and she knew it.

Ted understood, better than anyone, how much her family's attitude had disgusted her. They had ranted about the importance of blood, but they hadn't realised their family needed more than purity to keep it together. Their house had been loveless and empty of any real joy, completely unlike the home she shared with Ted and Nymphadora. Without those two, her life wouldn't be worth living.

Yes, Andromeda understood the importance of family.

Wistfully, she thought of Narcissa. Blonde and delicate, her younger sister had married Lucius Malfoy. In her opinion, the man was an idiot, but there was no denying he cared for her sister. She hadn't been invited to the wedding – at Bellatrix's orders she suspected – but the photos published in _Witch Weekly_ were impossible to misinterpret. Rummaging in a box, Andromeda pulled out a pile of tattered clippings before returning to her chair. As she stared at the image, Andromeda allowed a smile to grace her features. Gazing into each others' eyes, the newlyweds wore expressions of deep devotion. She was glad, in spite of everything, that Cissy had managed to find love. Flipping through the sheaf of magazine pages, she found another photo of Narcissa, this time with a bawling baby. Again, the expression on her face was difficult to misinterpret.

It was obvious that Narcissa understood the value of family.

Unlike _some_.

Her heart tightening, Andromeda looked down at her precious stack of clippings. The disdainful gaze of Bellatrix stared malevolently back, a man's arm slung loosely round her shoulders. In comparison to Narcissa, her countenance could not be more different. It was obvious she did not care for Lestrange; even her exiled sister could see that. Her hand, unconsciously it seemed, was caressing her left forearm and Andromeda had the sinking sensation that Bellatrix's affections did not lie with her husband.

"Why, Bella?" she breathed, feeling a stab of anguish. For all Bellatrix's claims that she understood family, Andromeda was not fooled. Marrying for the sake of blood was not honouring the institution of family; it was making a mockery of it. If Bellatrix had understood family, she would have loved Andromeda _regardless_ of marriage to a muggleborn. Without realising it, Andromeda had begun to crush the parchment in her hand. With a deep breath, she put it down and counted to ten. It had been decades since her estrangement, yet she could remember it as though it were yesterday.

_Head held high, despite her fear, Andromeda had marched into the dining room. Beneath her father's imperious gaze she had announced – boldly – that she was engaged._

"_I'm marrying Ted Tonks, father," Andromeda had said, flicking her hair away from her face. _

"_A pureblood, I assume." His reply had been laced with irritation, but Andromeda allowed herself a moment of hope. He had been annoyed, that much was clear, but there had been no fury. Yaxley had been repulsive, even he could see that. _

"_No." She had tried to keep the tremor from her voice._

"_No? A half-blood?" And then the fury had come, rolling in waves which had nearly sent her flying. Whatever his flaws, their father had been a strong wizard,_

"_A muggleborn, actually," Andromeda had replied, trying desperately to remain calm. She had never understood his ridiculous prejudices, but she feared them all the same. His reaction had been terrifying. With a violent gesture he had drawn his wand, slashing at the air. She had been vaguely aware that her sisters were cowering, but all her attention had been diverted. She had conjured a vast shield. Her love for Ted, she had realised, was worth more than her father's opinion._

"_If you wish to apologise," she had said, overcome with rage, "I will be with Ted – the man I love." With that, she had left the room. In fact, she had left their lives._

And part of her heart.

After all this time, Andromeda still regretted her loss. She had loved her sisters, even the murderous Bellatrix. She wished, with all her heart, that they could have found it in themselves to accept Ted. If they'd really loved her, they could have managed that. Her anger was palpable and she felt the urge to throw something. However, that would mean she'd have to tidy it up. With a rueful smile, Andromeda thought that Nymphadora made enough mess without the help of her mother.

At that moment, her daughter let out a fresh screech and Andromeda stood wearily to her feet. Despite her tiredness, however, there was a spring in her step. She loved her family and there was no where she would rather be. If Bellatrix had truly understood the importance of family, she would have allowed Andromeda to remain in her life.

And Andromeda's heart would still be whole.


	3. Narcissa

**Disclaimer: I'm not J.K. Rowling and these are not my characters. I am just borrowing them.  
****This was written for Louise Foxhall's "Three Sisters Black Competition". I hope you enjoy!**

_Family_.

For Narcissa Malfoy, this word had been her mantra. She knew the importance of family, better than anyone. Her life had been defined by the love she felt for her family, for her sisters, husband and son. Although proud of her lineage, her love for those people had not been based upon bloodlines. Narcissa had never mused deeply on the subject; for her, family was an instinctive and obvious concept.

Reclining on her bed, she reflected on the past. She had idolised Bellatrix and Andromeda. To the younger sister, their strong convictions had been an inspirational thing. In some respects, she felt saddened that no one else saw the parallels between the two. Both had defended their beliefs in the face of great criticism and, in their own way, had demonstrated an understanding of family. Bellatrix's loyalty to her Black heritage had led her to achieve great things with the Dark Lord and Andromeda's impish daughter was testament to the strength of her love for Ted Tonks.

Yes, they both understood the importance of family.

Sadly, their understandings appeared incompatible. Narcissa often gave thanks that she had fallen in love with a pureblood. Not because she held a particular hatred of muggleborns, but because it had enabled her to have the best of both worlds – love _and_ the Blacks. If she had been placed in Andromeda's position… She shuddered at the thought. A choice between Lucius and the Blacks would have torn her apart.

In fact, she often wondered whether Andromeda _had_ been torn apart.

The memory of that awful day haunted her; she was unashamed to admit it. Unlike the others, however, Narcissa did not dwell upon what had been said. Rather, she dwelled upon what _hadn't _been said. Andromeda's declaration had passed in a blur, but the following events had become etched in her mind. Involuntarily, as the memories crowded her brain, she clutched a silken pillow.

_Cowering behind her sister, Narcissa had waited for Bellatrix to rise to Andromeda's defence. She was aware of Bella's views – who couldn't be? – but she had thought her loyalty to Andromeda was stronger. As their father's wrath was unleashed, Narcissa had been confident that Bella would block his spell. _

_Her shock at her big sister's failure had shattered her world and she had wept as Andromeda left the room. In fact, she had wept as Andromeda left their lives._

And she had taken a piece of Narcissa's heart with her.

Despite the passing years, their situation still brought tears to Narcissa's eyes. With exasperation, she swiped them from her eyes and, anger rising, threw the luxurious pillow across the room. It crumpled in a corner, far from her reach. It didn't matter; Dobby would pick it up later.

Often, Narcissa had been tempted to owl Andromeda. She had desperately wanted to invite her to the wedding, but a few choice words from both Lucius and Bellatrix had stopped her. In theory, she understood that Bellatrix and Andromeda could not – and would not – speak again. Still, however, she hoped. But as the years passed and the Dark Lord's power grew, her yearnings had been faced with a bleak reality.

Clearly, neither understood the importance of family like Narcissa.

If they had, they would have reconciled long ago.

And Narcissa's heart would still be whole.


End file.
